LG Venture Boosts Methyl Methacrylate

LG venture boosts methyl methacrylate

LG MMA has started building a 76,000-metric-ton-per-year methyl methacrylate plant in Yeosu, South Korea. When the facility goes onstream in April 2008, LG MMA's capacity for MMA will reach 176,000 metric tons. Demand for the material is brisk in South Korea, where it is used in making light guides for liquid-crystal displays. To supply this application, LG MMA also operates a polymerization facility making use of Sumitomo Chemical technology. LG MMA is owned 50% by LG Corp., 25% by Sumitomo Chemical, and 25% by Nippon Shokubai.

Chemical output slips in July

U.S. chemical production declined in July from the previous month, according to seasonally adjusted data from the Federal Reserve Board. The numbers show that the production index for all chemicals fell 0.1% from June to 113.4 (1997 = 100). This index was up 3.3% from July of last year. Output of basic chemicals fell 0.8% from June to an index of 90.8, marking the ninth straight month-to-month decline for this important industry sector. The July index for this sector was down 4.5% from the comparable month in 2004.